Obedience by Faith

Introduction

Today we turn out attention to one of the great heroes of faith who is actually referred to as the “father of all them that believe”. The lineage of Abraham would be filled with men and women of great faith.

In verse 8 we see that God called out to Abraham and he responded in faithful obedience to God. The life of faith will often require obedience that is motivated purely by our faith and trust in God.

There are times when we obey because we know that our obedience will bring a desired outcome but there will be times in our walk with God when we must obey in faith simply trusting God.

This is the type of obedience that we see in the life of Abraham, obedience by faith.

Obedience by faith involves:

Stepping Out Into the Unknown (Vs. 8b-9)

When God called him to leave his family and his homeland, Abraham had very little detail beyond the call to go out. Genesis 12:1- unto a land that I will shew thee

Abraham had lived in Ur of the Chaldees for 75 years before God called him to leave everything that was familiar to him.

Abraham stepped out into the unknown by faith and became a pilgrim in a strange land dwelling in tents with his family.

Abraham had been given a precious promise from the Lord but in order to see the promise fulfilled he had to take a step of faith.

There are many Christians today who have refused to obey the call of God because it requires a step of faith into the unknown.

God certainly could provide all of the details for how things will turn out but most often He does not. He asks us instead to trust Him even though we may not know exactly where the path He is leading us down will take us.

We all want to know what the future holds and we want to know exactly how things will turn out if we take the next step of faith but God rarely reveals more than the next step.

It may be that God is calling you to take a step of obedience today, but maybe you are fearful because you would be stepping out into the unknown. Today you must learn from faithful Abraham that you can trust God because what is unknown to you and I is known to God and His will and way is always best.

If God is calling you to step out on faith today will you obey even though you may not know where that step will take you?

Obedience by faith also involves:

Trusting God When the Odds Are Stacked Against You (Vs. 11-12)

God had made a promise to Abraham and Sarah that they would conceive a child from whom would be birthed a nation.

Now we know that Abraham and Sarah had their moments of doubt and that they even tried to formulate their own plan when they felt God was not going to deliver, but ultimately they concluded that God would deliver on His promise to them. Genesis 15:6- believed in the Lord

Even when Abraham and Sarah were beyond the years of child bearing they continued to trust that God would keep His promise to them.

Finally when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 they conceived a child. Genesis 21:1-2- God always delivers on His promises

There will be times when our faith is tested. There will be times when it seems that God has failed to deliver on His promise, yet we must learn to trust Him even still.

We must recognize that when things seem impossible and it seems there is no way, God can make a way! Don’t think that God has failed you because it seem that the odds are stacked against you.

So many times we fall into the same trap that Abraham and Sarah fell victim to. We try to formulate our own plan and we often get ahead of God and bring unnecessary hardship and pain into our lives. We must continue to trust and obey even when circumstances seem against you.

There may be times when you obey God and it seems that your circumstances only grow worse. Even in times like these we must learn to continue to obey, trusting that God will ultimately reward our obedience by faith.

It seemed extremely unlikely that Abraham and Sarah would conceive a child but there is nothing to hard for God when we trust and obey. Genesis 18:14- is any thing too hard for the Lord.

We must learn to trust the Lord and to take Him at His word as we obey His instructions for our lives. Psalm 27:14- Wait on the Lord Psalm 130:5- in his word do I hope

David’s obedience- David did his best to obey the voice of God and yet he was persecuted and forced to live as a fugitive. It seemed unlikely that he would ever be king, but ultimately God would deliver him from Saul and he would become one of the greatest kings to reign over the nation of Israel.

Obedience may not always bring immediate results but just continue to obey, trusting that God will ultimately reward your faithfulness either in this life or in the next.

Obedience by faith will also require a:

Long Term Vision (Vs. 10 & Vs. 13-16)

Abraham would not have the opportunity to take possession of the land that God had promised during his lifetime and yet he obeyed God because he had a long term vision to see future generations possess the land.

"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in." -Greek Proverb

Abraham saw the promises of God “afar off” and yet he believed them and “embraced them”. He obeyed in faith not from selfish motives but because he believed that God would keep his promise and that his children and grandchildren would enjoy the reward for his obedience.

Mother’s and Father’s are you willing to obey God for the sake of future generations?

Abraham’s vision extended even further than temporal blessings like the possession of the promised land. He had in view an eternal city where he believed he would one day dwell.

Abraham was willing to obey God and live in tents his entire life because he knew that this world was not his home and that there was a city prepared and designed by God where he would one day dwell for all eternity.

We must come to the realization that we may not see the reward for our obedience in our lifetime. It may not be realized until we enter eternity but we can be confident that there is a reward for obedience to God.

God did keep his promise to Abraham and from him was birthed the nation of Israel and ultimately they would possess the land that God has promised them so long before. The promise was fulfilled but it would be over 600 years after it was initially made to Abraham.

You and I must recognize the eternal value of our obedience to God. Obedience by faith means that even if we do not see the reward we continue to obey because we have a vision of eternity.

We must not become discouraged or disheartened when we obey God and it seems to bring only hardship and trials in this life. We must recognize that the greatest rewards are those we will receive in eternity for our obedience to God.

Abraham did reach the eternal city that he had in view Matthew 8:11- Abraham in the kingdom of heaven. We can be certain that he received a rich reward for the countless times he obeyed God by faith.

Conclusion

There will be times in each of our lives when God speaks and we must choose to obey not knowing all the details of what lies ahead. There will be times when we must choose to obey even when it seems the odds are stacked against us. We must maintain an eternal perspective like Abraham, and choose to obey even if we may not receive the reward for our obedience in this life.

Is there some step of faith that God is calling you to take today? Are you hesitant because you are not sure where this step of faith will take you? Have you been apprehensive to obey because it seems that the odds are stacked against you? Have you hesitated because you are afraid of the immediate consequences of you obedience?

Today will you respond in faith and obey the voice of God and do what He is calling you to do?

John 6:28-29- believe on him whom he hath sent- salvation, baptism, church membership, ministry involvement

You can be sure that God always rewards those who by faith obey His instructions and do His will.